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Small condo spaces sometimes house ‘gentle giants’

Happy-go-lucky Fudge proved that a St. Bernard could contentedly share space in a 750-square-foot condo

Fudge, 21 months — named for his colouring and “sweet” temperament — passed away unexpectedly from chronic kidney disease but his owners wanted others to know, as a tribute to Fudge, that a very large dog is capable of living quite happily in a 750-square-foot condo space. (SUPPLIED PHOTO)

The 135-pound St. Bernard cut quite a swath in this King West neighbourhood. You’d think he’d been sprung from the country, his days spent romping through farm fields chasing butterflies or that he had a large, sprawling suburban home to knock around in.

Why else would a St. Bernard be downtown, if not visiting?

But Fudge actually lived in a 750-square-foot condo unit, the only St. Bernard in the King West neighbourhood, according to owner Malini Persaud. “Intuitively people assume that we have a huge house and plenty of space for a giant breed dog, but we do not,” says Persaud, who shares her one-bedroom-plus-den condo with husband Vik Gujarati, a credit union manager.

Fudge, 21 months — named for his colouring and “sweet” temperament — passed away unexpectedly from kidney disease after this story was written. But his owners wanted others to know, as a tribute to Fudge, that a very large dog is capable of cohabiting in a small space and enriching the lives of others.

As Persaud recalls, there were some adjustments for Fudge after leaving the wide, open spaces for the more confined life in a Toronto condo. “Initially, because he was raised on a farm (in Listowel, Ont.) until he was four months old, he did not know how to walk on carpeted surfaces, floors proved slippery and the elevator and cars were scary things.”

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But within a week he had adjusted “marvelously” to city life — he was docile, politely sociable on elevators with his tail always wagging and never barked at small children, says Persaud, a professor at York University’s School of Nursing. Fudge made friends with everyone around him — except for the window washer.

“When the window washer perched on his scaffold swing mechanism lowered himself in front of our windows, Fudge barked (for the first time) to alert me!”

Space wasn’t a problem for Fudge either. “The larger the dog, the lazier the dog,” says Persaud, who adds that Fudge didn’t require much space; he spent most of the day sleeping in his extra-large doggie bed.

The couple has lived in their condo for five years “We selected this location for proximity to work at that time. The best thing about this location is that it is convenient to access anything from shopping to dining to entertainment within a short walk,” she says.

The site’s downside is that it faces King St., with its traffic and streetcars. But Fudge made the best of this, often sitting on the balcony enjoying the flurry of activity below him, while scrutinizing the cars and dogs outside the Starbucks patio.

Persaud says that they were drawn to large dogs after owning a golden retriever for 13 years. However, they had to adjust to Fudge’s medical needs upon learning, three months after they brought him home, that he suffered from chronic kidney disease. He was unable to exercise much, so they took him on short walks around the block or to the many dog parks within a 10-minute radius of their home. After that, he became tired and rested “for a good 10 hours” with his toys within reach.

Recently his kidney disease worsened and within a week, although he fought valiantly, the gentle giant was gone, says Persaud, although the love and devotion he gave in his short life brightened their lives and those around them.

“We miss him dearly, but at least he is in a better place — tail-wagging, I’m certain!” she says.

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